Combined lock and reversible latch



WI QESSES i I INVENTOR (ModeL) E. A. KIMBALL. Combined Lock and ReversibleLatoh. No. 236, 229. Patented Jan. 4,1881.

ATTORNEY NITE TATES ATENT rFicE.

EDWIN A. KIMBALL, OF GHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED LOCK AND REVERSIBLE LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iletters Patent No. 236,229, dated January 4, 1881. Application filed July 20, 1880. model.)

lugs, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in reversible locks, and is designed to provide a lock of simple yet of novel construction and arrangement of parts, adapted to a wide field of combinations and changes, small and compact in form, and arranged by a peculiar method of operation to be practically non-piokable.

With these ends in view my invention cons'ists, first, in the combination, with a yokeshaped bolt-shank provided with an abutment, of a pivotal dog-bolt located within the bolt shank and adapted to engage with said abutment to lock the door-bolt, and a spring for actuating said dog-bolt.

My invent-ion further consists in the combination, with a yoke-shaped bolt-shank provided with an abutment, of a pivotal dog-bolt adapted to engage with said abutment and a series of tumblers and interposed wards to operate the bolt in its engagement with said abutment in locking or unlocking the door-bolt.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a yoke-shaped bolt-shank provided with an abutment, of a pivotal dog-bolt adapted to engage with said abutment and a series of tumblers and interposed wards arranged to rotate in an open cylindrical socket to operate the dog-bolt in looking and unlocking the doorbolt.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a series of tumblers andinterposed wards rotating in an open cylindrical socket, of a toothed plate fitted in a vertical slot in said socket-block and a spring arranged to force said toothed'plate within the wall of the socket and hold it in peripheral engagement with the tumblers.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a toothed plate fitted in a vertical socket in the socket-block, of a bearingplate held between two flanges of said socketblock and a spring interposed between the rear face of the door-bolt and the bearing-plate, the same being adapted to force the toothed plate in peripheral engagement with the tumblers.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a toothed plate, of a series of split or twin wards interposed between a series of tumblers perforated to admit a key, said wards having laterally-projecting arms, the arms of the right-hand Wards fitting in a vertical slot in the socket-block, and the arms of the lefthand or actuating wards being received in slots in the toothed plate.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a key provided with a number of teeth, according to the lock-combination, having ribs at right angles to said teeth and havinga wedge-point, of a series oftumblers adapted to receive the key, and of a series of interposing wards arranged to be operated by said key to force the slotted plate out of engagement with the peripheral slots in the tumblers.

My invention further consists in certain detailsof construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of my improved reversible lock with the top plate or cover taken off. Fig. 2

is a plan view, with the tumblers, wards, and the slotted or toothed plates removed. Fig. 3 is a view,inlongitudinal central section,of the look with all its component parts in operative position. Fig. 4 is a view of the top plate or cover. Fig. 5 is a view of the lower faceof the dog-bolt, showing the heel 'oounterbored. Fig. 6 is a view of the slotted plate. Fig. 7 is a view of the bearing-plate. Fig. 8 is a view of a peripherally-slotted cam-facedtumbler. Figs. 9 and 10, respectively, are views of the right and left hand wards, and Fig. ll'is a view of a key adapted to fit the combination of wards and tumblers described in this speci fication.

A represents the case or frame in which the lock mechanism is inclosed, the same being provided with a removable top or plate, A, which latter is secured to the lock frame or case by a screw passing through an aperture, a, in said plate into ascrew-threaded recess in the end of a post, A placed in the center of and about midway of the length of the case.

B represents the door-bolt, which serves the twofold purpose of bolt and door-latch, the yoke-shaped shank thereof being represented by B, the curved extremities of said yoke extending beyond the hub 0, through which the knob-spindle passes, and having its inner walls provided at b I) with projecting abutments, with which latter thelngs b 1), formed on the hub G, engage, operating, when the hub is turned, to reciprocate the door-bolt Bin the face-plate B and lock or unlock the door.

D is a spring-pressed dog-bolt, pivotally secured by pivot (Z to block 0, attached to the bottom plate, G ,of the case frame, said dogbolt beingadapted to be operated by the rotating tumblers to engage the abutment d situated in the forward portion of the yokeshank, and lock the door-bolt, each of the rotating tumblers being provided with a camface, which, when simultaneously presented to the lower face of the said dog-bolt will allow it to drop and releaseits engagement with abutment d and unlock thedoor-bolt. Spring D operates to press the toe or point of the (log-bolt down upon the tumblers, one end of said spring having bearing against a flange, 0, formed on block C, and the other end projecting into a counter-bore, c, in the heel of the dog-bolt. A spiral spring, E, interposed between the rear face, (1, of the door-bolta-nd athin bearing-plate, E, which latter is held between the two flanges c 6 formed in the forward portion of the socket-block F, has the twofold function of throwing the locking-bolt forward when it has been withdrawn byengagement of the lugs b b of the hub O with the rear abutments, b b, of the yoke-shank, and of holding the toothed plate E which is fitted in the vertical slot F of the socketblock, and which projects within the open cylindrical socket G, in engagement with the tumblers which rotate in said cylindrical socket.

The tumblers y are in this instance provided with two peripheral slots, g g, at points directly opposite each other, said slots engaging with the spring-pressed toothed plate E and having one or more cam-faces,j", with which the toe or point (1 ot the dog-bolt D engages, each tumbler being also perforated for the reception of the lock-keyK. Between these tumblers, which in this combination are arranged in pairs, a series of twin wards are interposed, which we shall call the right and left hand wards, according to their position in the cylindrical socket Gr. These wards I I are each provided with an outwardly-projecting arm, the arm j of the left-hand ward I being adapted to be received in one of the sockets j of the toothed plate E Said arm j being a little longer than the arm j of the ward I, it will cause the inner face of the Ward) to be a little more than flush with the wall of the key-hole, the arm of the ward I being received in the vertical slot F in the socket-block, said ward serving to retain the left-hand or actuating ward I from displacement. These tumblers and wards may be easily disposed in a variety of different arrangements and combinations and arranged to fit several different keys accompanying each lock, each of which is adapted to fit the lock in one of its diiferent combinations. The owner thereof may therefore, by removing the cover or plate of the lock and redisposing the wards and tumblers to act with the different keys. have in effect several locks; or in the event of losing a key he may change the combination to another key and obtain a lock which the lost key will not open without the trouble and expense of buying a new look or getting anew key made.

Both the top plate or cover and the bottom plate of the case are provided with key-holes, which register with the perforations in the tumblers, the lock being of such construction that it may be operated from either side of the door.

The key accompanying this lock and adapted to operate the combination of tumblers as wards, as shown in the accompanying drawings, which consists of eight tumblers disposed in pairs between three sets of twin wards, is formed of a thin fiat plate, wedge-shaped at its lower end, 70, and has four teeth on each side directly opposite each other, said teeth fitting in the slots of the key-hole L. At right angles to these teeth ribs lare formed on each side of the plate, the same engaging with the left-hand wards, which, as we have beforeobserved, are a little more than flush with the wall of the key-hole.

Having described the different mechanical elements in my lock and their relative arrangement with each other I will now brietly describe its operation.

The key, after being inserted in the keyhole, slips easily by the first pairof tumblers, and its further progress is arrested by the projecting left-hand ward. However, by exerting a slight pressure the wedge-shaped point of the key will operate to force the ward back by overcoming thetension of the sprlng, which presses the toothed plate in engagement with the tumblers and allows the key to pass the next pair of tumblers, the next obstructing ward being forced back in the same manner as the first, and so on through the series, the tension of all of the wards being removed when any one has been moved back. As before described, the laterally-projecting arm of the left-hand ward is received in and extends to the bottom of a slot in the toothed plate, which latter has engagement with. the peripheral slots of the tumblers. It will therefore happen that when the ward is forced inwardly by the ribbed key it will overcome the tensional force of the spring and carry the toothplate back flush with the wall of the cylindrical socket, and thus release its engagement with the slots in the tumblers, which may now be rotated to the right or left, to present the cam-faces of the tumblers to the dog-bolt, allowing it to fall thereon and release its enton key or wire capable of performing its functions. Again, the smallness of the aperture admitting the key and the obstructions the Wards present will render the taking of wax impressions impossible, and even if by a key or wire one tumbler were revolved, it would be almost impossible to turn the whole number separately without so confusing the parts as to require the removal of the lock and their entire readjustment. Ihese latter, together with the facts that the lock is reversible, comparatively simple, though of novel construction, adapted to a wide field of combinations, and its small and compact size, will, I think, commend it to the public.

If desired, I may make the wards in one piece instead of in twins or pairs, as herein shown. In such latter construction the key hole will have to be made more open than the aperture provided for the admission of the key in the tumblers, in order that the whole ward may be thrown forward by the key to force the toothed plate out of engagement with the tumblers. The adoption of such a form of ward would diminish the number of parts, rendering the look less complicated, and also decrease the cost of its manufacture.

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction and combination of parts as shown and described, buthold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a reversible lock, the combination, with a yoke-shaped bolt-shank provided with an abutment, of a pivotal dog-bolt located within the bolt-shank and adapted to engage with said abutment to lock the door-bolt, and a spring arranged to retain the dog-bolt in its normal position out of engagement with the abutment of the door-bolt, substantially as set forth.

2. In a reversible lock, the combination, with a yoke-shaped bolt-shank provided with an abutment, of a dog-bolt pivoted to a block located in the lock-case frame, and a spring one end-of which impinges against the heel of the dog-bolt to depress the toe thereof out of engagement with the abutment of the doorbolt, the other end of said spring being supported on a fiange arm of the block to which the dog-bolt is pivoted, substantially as set forth.

3. In a reversible lock, the combination, with a yoke-shaped bolt-shank provided wi th an abutment, of a pivotal dog-bolt adapted to engage with said abutment, a spring adapted to keep the toe of the dog-bolt out of engagement with the abutment of the door-bolt, and a series of wards interposed between a series of tumblersv peripherally configurated to operate the dog-bolt in engagement with said abutment in looking and unlocking the door, substantially as set forth.

4. In a reversible lock, the combination, with a yoke-shaped bolt-shank provided with an abutment, of a dog-bolt adapted to engage with said abutment and have constant engagement with the lock-tumblers in the locked and unlocked adjustment thereof, and a series of tumblers and interposed wards arranged to rotate in an open cylindrical socket, substantially as set forth.

5. In a reversible lock, the combination, with a series of tumblers and interposed wards rotating in an open cylindrical socket, of a toothed plate fitted in a vertical slot in said socket-block and a spring arranged to force said toothed plate within the wall of the socket and hold it in peripheral engagement with the tumblers, substantially as set forth.

6. In a reversible lock, the combination, with a toothed plate fitted in a vertical socket in the socket-block, of a 'bearing-plate held between two flanges of said socket-block and a spring interposed between the rear face of the door-bolt and the bearing-plate, the same being adapted to force the toothed plate in peripheral engagement with the tumblers.

7. In a reversible lock, the combination,

with atoothed plate, of a series of split or twin wards interposed between a series of tumblers perforated to admit a key, said wards having laterally-projecting arms, the arms of the right-hand wards fitting in a vertical slot in the socket-block, and the arms of the lefthand or actuating wards being received in slots in the toothed plate, substantially as set forth.

8. In a reversible lock, the combination, with a key provided with a number of teeth, according to the lock-combination, having ribs at right angles to said teeth and having a wedge-point, of a series of tumblers adapted to receive the key, and of a series of interposing wards arranged to be operated by said key to force the slotted plate out of engagement with the peripheral slots in the tumblers, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of July, 1880.

EDWIN A. KIMBALL.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. HARWOOD, L. W. BRADLEY. 

